Page 37 of Blood Ties

“Because the widow of one Justin Santino is dead after falling down the stairs. Word on the street is that there is a biological daughter that had surfaced about a year ago and is now MIA. The cops are trying to find her because they have some questions for her,” he explained.

“Shit,” I muttered. “Luciano tell you that?”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll call her father,” I told him as I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Explain.”

In the briefest way I could, I told him everything that had happened since we left.

“Jesus Christ. What a fucking mess. Is there anything we can do?”

“No. But if that changes, I’ll let you know. Tell Gabriel where I am and that I’ll be in touch when I can.” We ended the call, and I went to find Facet.

I knocked on his door and at first there wasn’t an answer. Confused, I wondered if he had gone somewhere else. When I was about to walk off, I heard him call out to come in.

The minute I opened the door, the scent of incense filled my nose and there was a strange heaviness in the dark space. It quickly dissipated and I figured I must’ve imagined it.

“Anything yet?” I asked, then stopped short. “Facet? You okay?”

My friend stood in the center of the room, and I could’ve sworn his eyes were glowing silver. They dimmed and the flames on the candles sitting on several surfaces flared brighter, then went back to normal.

He blinked a few times, then walked to his desk and sat down. My confused gaze watched him as his fingers flew over the keyboard. “Facet?”

“Yeah?” he asked me, as if he hadn’t realized I was in the room.

“I asked if you were okay.”

He gave me a questioning tilt of his head and a half smile. “Of course I am, why?”

“I… nothing,” I replied. “Anything I can help with?”

“No but pull up a chair.” He motioned to a second rolling desk chair, and I grabbed it and sat next to him. For about an hour, he quietly worked, occasionally asking me random questions.

He still hadn’t heard anything when Voodoo stuck his head in the door. “I have news.”

“Whatcha got?” Facet asked, leaning back and roughing his hair up with his hand.

He set his phone down next to us. “You still there Granmé?”

“I’m here, my boy,” I heard a woman say through the speaker.

“Can you tell Facet and our friend Alessio what you saw?” Voodoo asked her.

“Your girl got a message.”

“A message? How?” I asked. “She hasn’t had her phone since the day we were shot at.”

“I saw her with a small tablet. There was very clearly a message on there that upset her.”

I thought back to when I walked in the room and she pulled a small iPad to her chest. Fuck. It hadn’t registered at the time. I hadn’t had a clue she had it with her or that she had access to WiFi.

“Do you know who it was from?” I asked, my mind trying to think of who it could’ve been. Maybe the guy that was after us had sent it, trying to get her to panic and leave, putting her out in the open. If that was the case, he knew she was here and likely knew she had indeed left.

“I don’t. Whoever it was is surrounded by a very dark aura that is blocking me from seeing through.” Her tone was ominous and that made a chill skate down my spine.

Then my attention darted to the phone. “Can you tellwherehe is?”

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